1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fine particles which are highly homogeneous and able to be widely used in a variety of fields, and a method for producing the fine particles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, fine particles are produced by liquid-phase or gas-phase reaction, and intended shapes and compositions are obtained by controlling the reaction. However, the shapes and the compositions are limited according to the reaction utilized. Take Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2001-330728 for example, which proposes a method of forming a wire grid polarizer by oblique vapor deposition to a concavo-convex structure. The method of this proposal makes it possible to produce a wire grid polarizer from an inexpensive material through a relatively simple process.
However, in the method described in JP-A No. 2001-330728, it is possible to produce a polarizer in the form of a linear wire but not in the form of particles, so that the polarizer can hardly be obtained as particles.
Meanwhile, JP-A No. 06-28933 proposes a method of producing fine particles on a concavo-convex structure by heat treatment. The method of this proposal makes it possible to produce conductive fine particles with a desired diameter inexpensively and with little variation.
However, in the method described in JP-A No. 06-28933, isotropic deposition is carried out and an obtained film is divided into discrete pieces by heat, so that only spherical fine particles can be formed, and the fine particles can be formed on a substrate but can hardly be released.
Hence, in reality, a fine particle producing method capable of controlling the shape, fused state, etc. of fine particles and efficiently producing highly homogeneous fine particles has yet to be provided.